


Ascension

by Burgie



Series: Katja Joins Team Good AU [57]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-09-03 05:26:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8698819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Avalon tells Elizabeth how druids become Elders.





	

Elizabeth didn’t bring up the question until she’d had several dates with Avalon. The topic of ascension seemed far too heavy for idle chit-chat when they were already nervous about the blossoming relationship.

It was actually Avalon who brought it up, while stirring some honey into his tea. A small tray of cupcakes sat between them on the table, frosted with Soul Rider designs and sat in paper cupcake holders decorated with the same symbols.

“Are you still interested in learning about how the ascension process works, my Sunbeam?” asked Avalon. Elizabeth smiled, her cheeks turning pink.

“Yes,” said Elizabeth. “I’d like to know more about you. Unless it’s a closely-guarded secret.”

“Well, we are hardly obeying all of the conventional druid rules,” said Avalon. “We broke those rules when we brought a former Dark Rider into our company.”

“I thought we broke them when we decided to teach Alex instead of getting rid of her,” said Elizabeth.

“With as little magic as the world has these days, getting rid of her would have been foolish,” said Avalon. “But regardless, ascension is not a closely-guarded secret. However, it was once something that was not openly discussed much. You will find out why when I tell you how it begins.”

“Well then, tell me,” said Elizabeth, picking up a cupcake and peeling away the paper.

“When a druid reaches the end of their natural life, Aideen appears to them,” said Avalon.

“Can I interrupt?” asked Elizabeth.

“You just did,” said Avalon, and chuckled.

“Well, druids die all the time. How can Aideen appear to them all?” asked Elizabeth.

“She is a goddess. She is not bound by time and space the way we are,” said Avalon.

“Right, I forgot. It’s hard to remember that when we have the current reincarnation of her with us,” said Elizabeth. “Carry on.”

“After appearing to us, Aideen asks us if we would like to pass on from this world or continue serving her,” said Avalon. “Should we choose to continue serving her, she explains the process to us and asks if we still choose to continue serving her. If we accept even after learning the details, she begins the process. It is painless, but the discomfort is mostly emotional.”

“What do you mean?” asked Elizabeth.

“Part of the process involves losing your physical form bit by bit,” said Avalon. “Imagine waking up one morning to discover that your fingertips are starting to fade away.” Elizabeth shivered, looking at her very real hands. And then at Avalon’s.

“So you can’t reform them immediately?” asked Elizabeth.

“Not until years after the process is completed,” said Avalon. “It is Aideen’s gift that we can even form a body at all afterwards.”

“Wow,” said Elizabeth. “And here I thought you’d need to do some big ceremony.”

“Not everything requires a ceremony, Elizabeth,” said Avalon. “Most things do among the druids, but ascension is quite a personal process. Druids going through ascension often live in isolation, away from everyone else. Though that’s mainly because of the disappearing body parts.”

“Yes, I can imagine how that might look disturbing,” said Elizabeth. “But does it actually disappear or just turn invisible?”

“Well, as a druid gets older, they learn more advanced magic,” said Avalon. “When the hands go, we must use the levitation that we learned. It is the same with our feet.”

“So you don’t need to hover?” asked Elizabeth.

“No. But it looks very cool,” said Avalon. “So I hover. I work with herbs a lot, though, so I keep my hands.”

“And the rest of your body, you form just for me,” said Elizabeth with a smile.

“Yes,” said Avalon. He was silent for a moment and then pushed back his hood, revealing a smiling face. He had no hair this time. Elizabeth thought that it added to the story that he was telling. She leaned across and kissed him, though.

“So you’re basically immortal now?” asked Elizabeth after the kiss ended. Avalon nodded.

“Essentially, until such a time as Aideen no longer requires my service,” said Avalon.

“But even if we do end up defeating Garnok, she’ll still need people to spread the good word about her,” said Elizabeth. “So you are effectively immortal.”

“I suppose,” said Avalon. “And there will always be other threats to Jorvik.”

“Yes,” said Elizabeth. “And I know that you will do all you can to fight them. Or train the Soul Riders to fight them, anyway.”

“It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it,” said Avalon. “Teenagers aren’t getting any easier to deal with.” Elizabeth laughed.

“Oh, believe me, I know,” said Elizabeth. “You do such good work. I admire you.”

“Well, you’re the one with a house full of young ladies,” said Avalon. “You’re admirable, Elizabeth. And your charges aren’t exactly easy to deal with. Two Soul Riders, a goddess-in-training, a former Dark Rider…”

“And all as horny as teenagers,” said Elizabeth, and laughed again. She took Avalon’s hands in his and smiled gently at him. “But we do a good job.”

“Are you thinking about ascending when the time comes?” asked Avalon.

“When the time comes… yes,” said Elizabeth. “But I haven’t seen any female Elders.”

“Well, female druids are also fairly uncommon and very recent,” said Avalon. “Most female druids used to take on the task of being the village healer, or they taught Soul Riders if the girls were uncomfortable around men.”

“How very traditional,” said Elizabeth, and smirked. “I’m glad to be breaking traditions like that.”

“Well, I have never heard of a female Elder in my many years being a druid,” said Avalon. “Mostly because healers can come and go. It is the first thing that female druids are taught.”

“Yes, I know, that was one of the many things I fought with my teachers about,” said Elizabeth, her cheeks heating in a blush at the memory. “I seem to recall calling them all sexist pigs for assuming that women are only good for healing and gardening and mending.”

“You’re a little firecracker,” said Avalon, and laughed. “Perhaps that’s why I like you so much. But I have to ask- are you ascending just for me?”

“That’s a little egotistical of you,” Elizabeth teased. “No, I’m doing it because I love helping Alex. Seeing her grow into the woman she is today has just made me so happy. And I want to continue helping young girls like that.”

“You almost sound like her mother,” said Avalon.

“Her magical mother,” said Elizabeth with a shrug. “And, I have to admit, eternity with you sounds… nice.”

“Don’t you mean ‘interesting’?” asked Avalon. Elizabeth laughed and he joined in, warmed at her presence. Immortals often risked insanity due to loneliness, but with Elizabeth… well, she brought warmth and life back into his life.


End file.
